Device to stop timepiece balance wheels

ABSTRACT

A horological movement, such as an electrical or mechanical watch, has an elongated resilient spring which is secured to a base plate at one of its ends. The spring is operated by a stem and acts to bias a cock and also to selectively stop a balance wheel assembly.

United States *atent 1 1 Esselborn Oct. 16, 1973 [54] DEVICE TO STOP TIMEPIECE BALANCE 3,034,285 5/1962 Reese et al. 58/85.5 X

WHEELS 3,059,412 10/1962 Epperlein.....' 58/85.5 x

3,296,790 1/1967 Schwaar 58/855 1 [75] Inventor: Fred H. Esselborn, Pforzheim,

Germany FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assigneez Timex C p Waterbury 1,094,666 12/1960 Germany 58/855 Conn.

. Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr.

[22] Filed 1973 Attorney-Richard A. Joe] [21 Appl. No.2 322,675

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Jan. 21, 1972 Germany ..P 22 02 846.2 A horological movement, such as an electrical or mechanical watch, has an elongated resilient spring 52 us. 01. 58/63, 58/855 which is Secured to a base Plate at one of its ends- The 51 1111. C1. G04b 27/02, G04b 27/00 Spring is Operated y a stem and acts to bias a cock [58] Field of Search 58/63, 67, 69, 85.5 and also to Selectively Stop a balame Wheel assembly- [561 References Cited 15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,764 7/1955 De Saint Yaulry 58/855 num 1 6l975 3,755,184

' snmaur 4 v I I F M I i 68 18 14 16 20 22 62 56 58 DEVICE TO STOP TIMEPIECE BALANCE WHEELS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The field of the present invention is horology and more particularly a hand-setting and balance wheel stopping device for an electric or mechanical watch movement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hand-setting and balance wheel control system for timepieces. At the present time both electric and mechanical watches have a stem that is axially shiftable from a first inner position relative to the movement, into a second outer position. The outer position is used for setting the hands. The stem coacts with a cock (a pivotable plate that carries rotatable gears) which acts as coupling means. The cock has a first idling or winding position and a second hand-setting position and is pivotal against the biasing effect of a resilient spring.

On the presently available mechanical watches, a stem is customarily provided that can be drawn out of a normal inner position into an outer position. In the inner position the stem can usually be rotated by means of a crown mounted thereon, whereby over meshing gear wheels a mechanical mainspring is wound up to power the entire movement by rotation of its barrel cover. When drawing out the stem a cock is shifted so that the operating connection between the barrel cover and a gear on the cock is interrupted. Simultaneously, by shifting the cock, a small cock wheel is brought into mesh with a change wheel which, in turn, is operatively connected with a gear of the dial train drive so that, upon turning the stem, the hands can be set. On the known mechanism a spring is provided against which the cock is biased and this spring normally urges the cock towards its connection with the barrel cover. In one type of known movement, in order to bring the minute hand into exact coincidence with the seconds hand, a separate arresting member is provided that acts at the same time that the cock is shifted to stop the balance wheel. This is sometimes called a hack feature.

On electrically driven clocks using an oscillating balance wheel assembly, it is customary to effect the stopping of the balance in such a manner that the connection between the coil, generally carried on the balance wheel, and the battery installed in the case, is broken. Consequently, no current is drawn from the battery when the movement stands still. In addition, on these movements the shiftable cock has no cock wheel that acts on the mainspring, because no such mainspring is provided in this case, the battery powered motor substituting for the mainspring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to substantially simplify the construction and lessen the costs of these known movements so that the connection between the spring member, acting upon the cock, and the arresting member that stops the balance, is effected in the shortest way and by direct transmission. This problem is solved according to the present invention in that the cock actuating spring member is in one piece with the balance wheel arresting member and is designed and constructed as a multipurpose integral member.

It is readily possible to form such a multipurpose member so that only the spring member is resilient and the arresting member is essentially not springy. But a particularly favorable configuration results when the entire multipurpose member is a multipurpose spring. A suitable spring can, for example, be formed from a bent wire spring or a correspondingly curved flat spring. It is of advantage if the multipurpose spring, which is anchored at one end, is normally (constantly) exerting a spring pressure with its free spring lever upon the cock member. In its hand setting position the stem movement causes the stopping of the balance wheel by means of a stop portion of the spring lever. It is of advantage in this case if the stop portion is the free end of the spring.

In certain movements, the coupling member which biases the cock ought to have a comparatively strong spring force, but such a strong spring force is not necessary for the arresting member. On the contrary, it is advantageous if the influence upon the balance is effected by a relatively weak spring force. This results in one preferred construction where the rear coupling section which spring biases the cock member, has a relatively strong spring force and the front arresting member, i.e., the spring lever arcuate section that holds the balance wheel, has a relatively weak spring force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features, objectives, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that contain preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a first embodiment of the present invention, which embodiment is a mechanically driven timepiece, wherein the stem is in its first inner position;

FIG. 2 is a partially open front view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1 with the stern in its second outer position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention, which embodiment is an electrically driven timepiece whose stem is shown in its first inner position;

FIG. 5 is a partially open front view of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. 4 but with its stern in the second outer position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the first embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a mechanically driven watch or other timepiece is schematically represented. The various wheels are shown, but details concerning their mountings are omitted as conventional watch construction may be utilized. The movement is likewise only schematically represented and designated by 10 as a whole. In movement 10 there is mounted a winding-up and hand-setting stern (staff) 12, hereinafter referred to as the stem. Stem 12, as shown in FIG. 1, is shiftable from a first inner position, relative to the watch case, to an outer position as in FIG. 3. A setting lever 14 coacts with the stem 12, the lever 14 being mounted in the movement by means of setting lever screw 16. Lever 14 has a nose 18 near its free end. Setting lever 14 engages an annular recess in stem 12 with its .arm 20, by which the lever is correspondingly taken along and pivoted by the shifting of the stem 12.

A winding pinion 22 is mounted in movement so that it can be rotated by means of stem 12. Pinion 22 meshes with a large cock wheel 24, which large cock wheel 24 is rotatably mounted in a cock 26, and a turnable plate which carries rotatable wheels. Cock 26, in turn, is pivoted on a staff 28.

A small cock wheel 30 is also rotatably mounted on said cock 26 so that wheel 30 meshes with large cock wheel 24 and also, at times, meshes with a barrel cover 32 on the barrel housing the mainspring. A second small cock wheel 34 is likewise rotatably disposed on cock 26 so that, in the position'shown in FIG. I, it meshes only with the large cock wheel 24. As will be explained in detail below, cock wheel 34 can be brought into engagement with a change wheel 36. A pinion 38, fixed to the same staff which carries change wheel 36, drives an hour wheel 40 which, in turn, carries hour pipe 42. The minute pipe, which carries -the minute hand and meshes wit change wheel 36, is

conventional and is not designated and described.

A balance wheel assembly 44 has a balance wheel staff 46 mounted on the movement in jewel bearings 48 and 50. The balance staff 46 carries a balance member 52 having a balance wheel 54. The oscillatory swinging action of the balance wheel as the time regular or time standard in a timepiece is known and for this reason is not described here.

A multipurpose spring member 56 is anchored in the movement at slot 58. The member 58 comprises a free spring lever 60 having, as sections (portions) of an integral member, a coupling section 62 adjacent slot anchorage 58 and, in continuation thereof, up to the free end, a spring lever arcuate section 64. At its free end the arcuate section has a stop portion 66 that is bent downwardly parallel to the balance staff, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The spring lever 60 contacts a blocking member 68 (downward extending arm) of cock 26 and, as shown in FIG. 1, normally pivotally biases (urges) said cock counterclockwise. In the cock position, shown in FIG. 1, the small cock wheel 30 is urged into mesh with barrel cover 32 by spring lever'60. The blocking member 68 also acts against the nose 18 of setting lever 14, see FIG. 2.

The mode of operation of this device will now be described having referenceto FIGS. 1 to 3.

As already stated, in the position of the stem shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the small cock wheel 30 is in mesh with barrel cover 32. When stem 12 is turned, by the user, an entire train of gears comprised of winding pinion 22, the large cock wheel 24, the small cock wheel 30 and barrel cover 32, will rotate with the ultimate effect of winding up the mainspring within the barrel. The spring lever 60 endeavors to constantly urge the cock into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The spring lever arcuate section 64 is thus out of contact with the balance wheel assembly 44.

Now if, as shown in FIG. 3, the stem 12 is drawn outwardly to the second outer position, setting lever 14 is pivoted clockwise so that the blocking member 68 of the cock pushes nose 18 into a new end position. In that new end position the small cock wheel 34 meshes with the change wheel 36 so that rotation is effectuated to pinion 38 and hour wheel 40. Therefore, upon the user turning the stem 12 and so rotating winding pinion 22 and the large cock wheel 24, the hands can be set, although the effect on the minute hand is not represented.

By pivoting the blocking member 68 the entire spring lever 60 is pivoted, so that now the stop portion 66 is pressed against the balance wheel 54, whereby the balance assembly comes to a standstill.

By pushing in the stem into its inner position shown in FIG. 1, a transverse movement towards the balance staff results, causing therewith a gliding motion of stop portion 66 along the balance wheel 54. The balance wheel 54 is frictionally engaged for a short distance, whereby the balance wheel is again set into swinging motion. By this means the timepiece is automatically started up again.

Insofar as identical components'are illustrated in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, they have the same reference characters as in the first embodiment. The cock, too, although it is somewhat modified, has, for simplicity sake, the same reference character.

In contrast with the structure of the first embodiment, the cock 26 in this second embodiment does not have a small cock wheel 30, as this timepiece is not mechanically driven. In place of a mainspring, there the movement has a battery 70 with which connecting spring 72 coacts, the spring 72 being secured to an insulating pad 74 and being electrically connected to a contact spring 76, which coacts with contact pin 78 on the balance wheel 54. The balance wheel 54 carries a flat coil 80 of fine wire and also carries a stop projection 82 (a stop) disposed on the periphery of the balance wheel 54.

The multipurpose spring member is anchored in the movement at groove 92 and consists of a spring lever 94 having a coupling section 96 and a spring lever arcuate section 98. The arcuate section 98 carries a stop portion 100 which, as shown in FIG. 5, is bent downward and parallel to balance staff 46. The multipurpose spring in this case is a flat spring with a configuration such that the coupling section 96 which extends beyond the blocking member'68 has a larger crosssection than does the spring lever arcuate section 98.

In the following, the manner of operation of the second embodiment, shown in the FIGS. 4 to 6, is explained.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the stem 12 is in its inside position where the small cock wheel 34 is out of mesh with the change wheel 36. The multipurpose spring 90 endeavors to urge cock 26 into the position shown in FIG. 4 so that the spring lever arcuate section 98 is out of contact with the balance assembly, i.e., out of contact with the balance wheel 54.

Now if, as shown in FIG. 6, the stem 12 is pulled out to its outer position, the hands have the same arrangement as in FIG. 3, so that some of the details of position may be omitted from this portion of the description. In this case, the multipurpose spring 90 is pivoted in such a way that the stop portion 100 comes close to balance wheel 54 or touches same, but without stopping the balance assembly. The balance assembly continues turning until stop projection 82 rotates counterclockwise and reaches stop portion 100. The stop portion 100 then engages stop projection 82 and thereby brings the balance wheel 54 to a stop at a predetermined position in which the contact spring 76 is out of contact with contact pin 78, which breaks the electrical circuit to the coil 80.

When the stem 12 is pushed in, then, in known manner, the balance wheel 54,and with it the entire movement, can run again because the balance wheel 54 has not only been stopped out of contact with contact spring 76 but, also, in such position that it is set into swinging motion by the driving effect of a magnet on coil 80 or by the hairspring (not shown).

The spring lever may be constructed from two originally separate spring pieces having different spring forces which are welded or otherwise joined together. Alternatively, the spring lever may be constructed from a uniform one-piece spring lever and then the front stopping section may be machined or otherwise formed to be substantially smaller in cross-section than the rear coupling section.

On mechanical and electrical timepieces the effect on the balance wheel, or vibrator, is favorable if the stopping section of the spring lever is bent vertically to the balance staff so that it is aligned in a direction parallel to said balance staff.

In mechanical timepieces, after setting the hands, in order to automatically re-start the movement, preferably the stop portion of the spring lever, in its movement into its stopping position, moves along the periphery of the balance wheel in the direction of rotation and thereby takes along the balance wheel part of the way by frictional engagement. The balance wheel will automatically re-start to oscillate, upon its release by the stop portion of the spring lever, either because its hairspring has been wound up or because of the magnetic field attraction between the coil and magnets positioned near the coil.

In order to stop the balance wheel assembly on an electric timepiece at the desired position, at which position the current from the battery to the magnetic coil is interrupted, it is advantageous if the balance wheel has a stop pin or a projection on its periphery against which the stop portion of the spring lever can strike as the balance wheel swings.

The stop pin on the balance wheel may be disposed at any optional point of same. lf, instead of a balance wheel, another type of vibrator or oscillator is used, thestop may be disposed thereon at any desired position. If desired, the stop may readily be provided on another section of the balance wheel assembly, for example, on a disc mounted on the balance wheel staff.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a balance wheel assembly as the time regulator or standard, it will be understood that other types of oscillators may be alternatively employed. For example, the oscillator may move only axially and not about an axis. Furthermore, the balance wheel assembly may be synchronized by another oscillator, for example, a quartz crystal electronic oscillator or a high rate mechanical vibrator.

Other modifications may be made within the present invention as the above-described embodiments present only the inventors best mode of practicing the invention and are not intended to restrict its scope, as set forth and expressed in the below joined claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:

l. A horological movement including a base, an oscillator mounted on said base for oscillatory motion, a hand-setting stem mounted for axial movement on said base and which is axially shiftable out of a first inner position relative to said base into a second outer position, a cock that is pivotally mounted on said base, said cock having a first position and a second hand-setting position and a multipurpose resilient member, said resilient member having a coupling section which biases said cock and a spring lever arcuate section which selectively acts against the oscillator to stop the oscillator, wherein said resilient member has one portion fixed on said base and is in contact with and movable by said hand-setting stem.

2. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the said resilient member is a suitably bent flat spring.

3. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a suitably bent wire spring.

4. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is an integral spring.

5. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein a middle section of said spring acts upon said cock.

6. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein the spring has a rear coupling section near to its attachment to the base which has a relatively strong spring force that coacts with said cock and a front spring lever arcuate section of relatively weak spring force that coacts with the balance.

7. A horological movement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said front spring lever arcuate section has a substantially smaller cross-section than said rear coupling section.

8. A horological movement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said spring is composed of two originally separate pieces which are joined together.

9. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein said oscillator is a balance wheel assembly and wherein said spring lever arcuate section has a stop portion which contacts the balance wheel assembly and stops it in one position of said stem.

10. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein the stop portion is the free end of said spring lever arcuate section.

ll. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stop member is bent from the general direction perpendicular to the balance staff in a direction parallel to said balance staff.

12. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stop member of said spring lever in its movement into its stopping position moves along the periphery of said balance wheel assembly in the direction of rotation and thereby takes along said balance wheel assembly part of the way by frictional engagement.

13. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said balance wheel assembly has a stop member and said stop portion strikes against said stop member of said balance wheel assembly in the inward position of said stem.

14. A mechanical watch movement including a base plate, rotatable display means, a mainspring, a barrel fixed on the plate and containing the mainspring, a rotatable and geared barrel cover covering the barrel and positioned to wind the mainspring, a cock pivotally mounted on the plate and carrying three rotatable gear wheels consisting of a center wheel in mesh with two end wheels, a dial train drive consisting of a plurality of rotatable gear wheels to rotate said display means and including a change wheel, a balance wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said plate for oscillatory movement, a hand-setting stem axially and slidably mounted on said plate and carrying a gear which is selectively meshable with the center wheel of said cock, and an integral multi-purpose spring fixed at only one of its ends to said plate, said spring acting upon said cock to normally urge one of its end wheels into mesh with said barrel cover, said spring contacting and being actuated by said stem to stop and hold said balance wheel assembly when the other end wheel of said cock is in mesh with said change wheel.

15. An electrical watch movement including a base plate, rotatable display means, battery terminals to contact a battery positioned with the movement, a balance wheel assembly including a balance wheel fixed to a staff, said staff being rotatably mounted on said base for oscillatory movement, a coil fixed to said balance wheel, a stop member fixed to said balance wheel assembly, a cock pivotally fixed to said base and carrying two rotatable geared wheels, a stem mounted on said base for axial movement relative to said movement, a gear fixed to said stem and selectively meshable with the first wheel carried by said cock, a dial train drive consisting of a plurality of geared wheels rotatably fixed on said base and including a change wheel, said change wheel being selectively meshable with the second wheel carried by said cock, an elongated multipurpose spring fixed only at one end and biasing said cock, said spring contacting said stem and having a stop portion which selectively holds said stop member upon actuation of said stem. 

1. A horological movement including a base, an oscillator mounted on said base for oscillatory motion, a hand-setting stem mounted for axial movement on said base and which is axially shiftable out of a first inner position relative to said base into a second outer position, a cock that is pivotally mounted on said base, said cock having a first position and a second handsetting position and a multipurpose resilient member, said resilient member having a coupling section which biases said cock and a spring lever arcuate section which selectively acts against the oscillator to stop the oscillator, wherein said resilient member has one portion fixed on said base and is in contact with and movable by said hand-setting stem.
 2. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the said resilient member is a suitably bent flat spring.
 3. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a suitably bent wire spring.
 4. A horological movement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is an integral spring.
 5. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein a middle section of said spring acts upon said cock.
 6. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein the spring has a rear coupling section near to its attachment to the base which has a relatively strong spring force that coacts with said cock and a front spring lever arcuate section of relatively weak spring force that coacts with the balance.
 7. A horological movement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said front spring lever arcuate section has a substantially smaller cross-section than said rear coupling section.
 8. A horological movement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said spring is composed of two originally separate pieces which are joined together.
 9. A horological movement as set forth in claim 4 wherein said oscillator is a balance wheel assembly and wherein said spring lever arcuate section has a stop portion which contacts the balance wheel assembly and stops it in one position of said stem.
 10. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein the stop portion is the free end of said spring lever arcuate section.
 11. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stop member is bent from the general direction perpendicular to the balance staff in a direction parallel to said balance staff.
 12. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stop member of said spring lever in its movement into its stopping position moves along the periphery of said balance wheel assembly in the direction of rotation and thereby takes along said balance wheel assembly part of the way by frictional engagement.
 13. A horological movement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said balance wheel assembly has a stop member and said stop portion strikes against said stop member of said balance wheel assembly in the inward position of said stem.
 14. A mechanical watch movement including a base plate, rotatable display means, a mainspring, a barrel fixed on the plate and containing the mainspring, a rotatable and geared barrel cover covering the barrel and positioned to wind the mainspring, a cock pivotally mounted on the plate and carrying three rotatable gear wheels consisting of a center wheel in mesh with two end wheels, a dial train drive consisting of a plurality of rotatable gear wheels to rotate said display means and including a change wheel, a balance wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said plate for oscillatory movement, a hand-setting stem axially and slidably mounted on said plate and carrying a gear which is selectively meshable with the center wheel of said cock, and an integral multi-purpose spring fixed at only one of its ends to said plate, said spring acting upon said cock to normally urge one of its end wheels into mesh with said barrel cover, said spring contacting and being actuated by said stem to stop and hold said balance wheel assembly when the other end wheel of said cock is in mesh with said change wheel.
 15. An electrical watch movement including a base plate, rotatable display means, battery terminals to contact a battery positioned with the movement, a balance wheel assembly including a balance wheel fixed to a staff, said staff being rotatably mounted on said base for oscillatory movement, a coil fixed to said balance wheel, a stop member fixed to said balance wheel assembly, a cock pivotally fixed to said base and carrying two rotatable geared wheels, a stem mounted on said base for axial movement relative to said movement, a gear fixed to said stem and selectively meshable with the first wheel carried by said cock, a dial train drive consisting of a plurality of geared wheels rotatably fixed on said base and including a change wheel, said change wheel being selectively meshable with the second wheel carried by said cock, an elongated multipurpose spring fixed only at one end and biasing said cock, said spring contacting said stem and having a stop portion which selectively holds said stop member upon actuation of said stem. 